1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to improvements to a storage card (memory card) reader system, and more particularly relates to a readily replaceable and exchangeable memory card bridge for insertion in the receiver of the reader to protect it from damage and to provide easy replacement and/or substitution of memory card bridges to accommodate different types of memory cards.
2. Background
Storage cards (sometimes referred to as memory cards or data storage devices) are increasingly popular as an electronic storage medium in various devices. They are used both to store data and also to transfer the data to other devices. These storage cards may be read and written to by card readers having receivers or connectors that are configured to be compatible with a specific type of storage card. Card readers can be contained within digital cameras, desktop computers, notebook computers, video cameras, televisions, and various audio and video players; virtually any modern electronic devices which utilizes a removable storage system for storing data for which a compact size is advantageous.
Currently there are many types of storage cards available on the market such as a PCMCIA Card, Compact Flash Card (CF card), Smart Media Card (SM Card), Memory Stick (MS card), Memory Stick Duo (MS Duo Card), Memory Stick Micro, Multimedia Card (MMC), Reduced-Size Multimedia Card (RS-MMC), Multimedia Micro Card (MMC micro), Secure Digital Card (SD card), mini Secure Digital Card (mini SD card), micro Secure Digital Card (micro SD card), xD-Picture Card (xD card) and so on. Further types of storage cards may be developed in the future.
As a consequence many different kinds of card readers are required, each configured to read a specific type or types of storage card as most of these storage cards are incompatible with each other having receivers (or input ports) for receiving a storage card of one type, or perhaps several types, of storage cards. These card readers may be internal and external and either accept only one type of storage card or several types of storage cards. As these card readers are sensitive electronic devices they are prone to damage or inoperability due to excessive or careless use by users. This is particularly so considering that these card readers are often used with portable devices due to the small size of the storage cards. Those portable devices are often more prone to be handled roughly, dropped or otherwise damaged through use.
As there are many types of storage cards, when a user moves data from one device to another device using a storage card, the user may become confused. Furthermore users can have difficulty in locating a correct card reader compatible with the type of storage card containing the data to be transferred. In order to overcome this problem many card readers include several individual card readers as a multiple system in order to accept and read (or write to) different types of storage cards using that card reader.
In many cases an individual user will prefer one or perhaps two types of storage cards for that individual's storage needs. That user will make use of only one or two slots and corresponding connectors (sometimes called receivers) in a multiple card reader system. The other slots and connectors of that user's card reader will remain unused or little used. As a consequence only one or two connectors of the card reader will become worn out, damaged or unusable through repeated use or misuse, leaving the other connectors of the system undamaged and usable. The user is forced to either replace the card reader in its entirety, which is unnecessarily expensive given the number of usable components that must be discarded, or if he is technically astute, remove and replace only the damaged or inoperable connector of the card reader, a process requiring considerable skill and time. Either method is unsatisfactory. If the damaged or inoperable connector could be easily and cheaply replaced with a new connector by an unskilled individual, significant time and expense could be saved.
In another situation, in the event of failure of the card reader embedded in an expensive electronic device, such as a digital camera, the entire camera must usually be replaced as the cost of repair can often approach or exceed the cost of replacement. If the receiver (connector) of the card reader of digital camera could be easily and cheaply replaced with a new connector, then a user would not need to waste money by purchasing a new digital camera or undertaking expensive repairs.
These types of card readers are also embedded in many types of self-standing user activated commercial stations such as kiosks and the like. This can include photo kiosks, banking kiosks, payment kiosks and so on. Generally the kiosk itself is expensive as it contains many complex and expensive electronic components to provide relevant services or products to a user. They are not easily removed for repair or maintenance and when they are removed the service or products are unavailable to the user. This adversely impacts the commercial enterprise that is using the kiosk to service its customers, both in foregoing income from the kiosk and in customer dissatisfaction when attending the premises of the commercial enterprise only to find that the kiosk has been removed for repair or is inoperable. A damaged or inoperable receiver (connector) of a card reader in a kiosk can result in the inoperability of the kiosk, or at least inoperability by users with storage cards compatible with the inoperable connector. If the defective receiver (connector) of the card reader of a kiosk could be easily and cheaply replaced with a new receiver (connector), these problems could be overcome.
In all of these situations the replacement of the damaged receiver (connector) of the card reader is a difficult, expensive and time consuming task which must be undertaken by trained individuals.
In typical memory card readers having multiple inputs the type of memory card is predetermined for each input slot in the reader. Because each receiver is fixed within the reader it is not possible to easily and cheaply replace an input slot of one type of memory card with that compatible with another type of memory card. This makes it difficult for users to change the type of memory card receiver in order to change the type of memory card which can be used with a particular reader, as for example, when a user purchases a new electronic device that uses a memory card that is incompatible with that previously used and for which the reader has no compatible receiver. In addition a user may wish to change the particular order of the compatible types of receivers within the reader or may chose to have multiple receivers that are compatible with the same type of memory card, in order to accommodate several memory cards of the same type simultaneously.
This is not readily possible with traditional memory card readers as they have fixed receivers of a particular type and are also not configured in a manner which addresses the differences in size of each type of memory card.
If a purchaser desires a pre-configured card reader with 6 slots (for example, SD, CF, MS, SM, xD, MMC slots) as manufactured in accordance with the prior art, the manufacturer would manufacture a card reader with slots in the desired position fixed to the integrated circuit board in a manner which is substantially permanent, that is changes would be undertaken with considerable difficulty. However, if a user would like to have a different card reader (for example SD, MS, SM, CF, xD, MMC), the manufacturer would have to redesign the card reader to provide these alternate fixed positions. At that time, significant design cost and manufacturing cost would be required. This embodiment of the invented card reader does not need to be redesigned in this manner. If the sequence of slots is to be changed, the manufacturer can accomplish this quickly and cheaply by changing the bridge. Only the face plate needs to be changed in accordance with the sequence of desired slots.
Also, if a new type of memory card is introduced into the market, the manufacturer can readily design a new card reader to accommodate the new type of memory card. The prior art card reader discussed above will require significant design cost and manufacturing cost to accommodate a new type of memory card. And in some cases, the actual system containing the old card reader must be replaced. In that case, the replacement cost would be significant. However, this embodiment of the invented card reader only requires a change of the bridge and face plate to adapt the reader to a new type of memory card. For example, if a new type of mini-SD card is introduced into the market, the invented card reader requires only a newly designed bridge accommodating the new style mini-SD card in order to function with the existing invented card reader. The design and manufacturing costs of the bridge would be far less than the cost of redesigning and replacing the entire card reader. If this invented card reader is in use by a purchaser, then a newly designed memory card bridge accommodating the new type of mini-SD card could be provided to the user to insert into an available slot of the invented card reader. A replacement face plate with an appropriate slot for the new type of mini-SD card could also be provided. The replacement of the entire card reader system is not required in order to accommodate the new type of memory card, the only required change is the addition or replacement with the new bridge and the possible change of the face plate. The results in significant cost savings at the manufacturing stage as well as for users wishing to upgrade.